Over the past few years I've been working more and more with vintage sewing patterns. I enjoy the range of silhouettes and lately I've been really interested in applying that to fantasy costumes!
I started prepping in January of 2018 to try out a new larp and I knew I wanted a flexible wardrobe for the transition of Spring into Summer. So my goal was thus: use existing vintage patterns to create some layered looks that could keep me warm in the early spring and cool in the summer.
The concept for my character was an elf healer, but I didn't want to look like I came straight out of the Lord of the Rings. High fantasy is wonderful, but there was no way I was going to go adventuring in a ball gown! (Especially not during the summer, can you imagine??)
So I started planning and searching etsy for existing patterns that would be different, but still looked elegant. The 1960's and 70's, in particular, have silhouettes with high collars and wider shoulders that I thought could work really well for an elf.
My first find was this McCalls 4083- a formal dress from the early 2000's. The sleeves were dramatic and beautiful, and I liked that I could go for one that ended at the elbow, to facilitate ease of movement. I thought this dress would make a great chemise layer!
My second find was Vogue 1429- a 1970's wrap dress. It has a beautiful silhouette that I thought would be perfect for an adventuring elf. It was lovely, but still practical and not too long.
And lastly was the top layer- a 1960's McCalls 5154 caftan. This one had exactly the collar I was looking for and it seemed really nice for layering on top of the other pieces.
With these patterns picked out I moved on to painting some mock-ups of how the outfit could look.
This was a rough draft as I pieced together what colors and materials I wanted to use.
I decided on a handkerchief-weight linen for the chemise, a mid-weight linen for the dress, and wool for the outer layer.
The first two layers came together very quickly- I put them on my mannequin and was thrilled with how natural the layering looked!
Next was the jacket- and this proved more challenging. I knew from the start that I wanted 3/4 sleeves so I modified the pattern accordingly. The first version was otherwise very close to the original pattern, but it ended up being too baggy for my taste. Adding a row of buttons to the front and taking in the back with some creative pleating proved to be a solution that worked!
Seeing it all come together was amazing!
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